


Closing Distance

by menshouldbelikekleenex



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Childhood Friends, F/M, Kissing, Mutual Pining, POV Third Person, Reader is AFAB - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2020-06-23
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:20:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24880702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/menshouldbelikekleenex/pseuds/menshouldbelikekleenex
Summary: It had been a few years since they last saw each other. A few years since they last spoke. A few years since they had the chance to say how they feel.
Relationships: Dande | Leon/Reader
Comments: 1
Kudos: 90





	Closing Distance

She zoomed in on Leon’s face before panning to the grinning Raihan across from him. Out of the corner of her eyes, she caught the Rotom-controlled jib moving quickly around the two to catch the tense handshake between two of the strongest trainers in Galar. She glanced beside her for a second, before zooming out to catch the both of them once more. Her colleagues were talking through the headset in her ears, but she tended not to listen unless they were speaking to her. 

Once the battle actually started, the human crew retreated from the field to avoid the danger of the ensuing chaos—especially since Raihan had a propensity to whip up sandstorms. She followed behind the other camera operators, glancing back at the Champion one last time. 

* * *

She was helping break down the cameras on the pitch when she heard her name being called. She gently placed the mic she was holding into its case before turning. Her ears burned slightly as she noticed Leon approaching her with his signature grin adorning his face. She hadn’t thought he noticed her during the tournament. He waved enthusiastically as her coworkers gave her quizzical looks.

He called out to her again—she supposed he thought she hadn’t realized he was the one who called out to her. Despite the fact that she knew his voice. And he was walking towards her. And he was the only one behind her at the time. 

“Oh, hi, Leon.” She paused slightly, pursing her lips when he stopped in front of her. “Shouldn’t you be getting ready for the press conference?” 

His face fell slightly at her comment before his smile came back full force.

“It’s the same thing every year!” he said with a laugh. Then he rubbed the back of his neck. “But I’ll be heading over there soon. Just wanted to stop by to say hello to my favorite neighbor!”

She tried to hide her embarrassment by going back to her work, now facing him as to not completely shut him down. 

“We haven’t been neighbors since we were kids, Leon,” she said quietly. “She looked up at him, just barely missing the disappointment in his stare. “But thanks for stopping by. I miss talking to you.” 

“I miss you too!” he said quickly. He stopped suddenly, but looking at her, she didn’t seem to notice his blunder. “I didn’t know you were working in Wyndon!” 

“I’m not,” she answered. “Well, not really. I’m usually stationed in Stow-on-Side. One of the camera operators had to call out, so they asked me to fill in.” 

Leon hummed slightly at her answer. He was disappointed really—if she was working in Wyndon, he might be able to see her more often. 

After a second lost in his thoughts, Leon looked at her intently. “After this press conference, want to go get dinner and catch up?”

“Sure,” she said with a smile. 

* * *

They were walking back from one of the fancy restaurants that litter the streets of Wyndon. People stopped Leon almost every other step, asking for pictures and autographs. She stayed quiet throughout it all, just watching as people fawned over her friend. It was strange, watching her childhood friend sign autographs. He was always just Leon to her (though he used to have slightly better fashion sense). 

After he took one last photo, he made his way back over to her. He gave her an apologetic smile. “Sorry!”

“It’s ok,” she said quietly. “You’re the champion—It’s part of the job.” 

They were silent as they walked down a more deserted road. Soon enough, it was only them as they approached the hotel she was staying at. Leon had mentioned he had an apartment not too far from the hotel. Her own home was tucked away in the fields of Stow-on-Side, and she longed to head back there for the comfort of her own bed. 

“You know,” she said after a few moments of silence, “I still have that signed photo you sent me after your victory over the former champion.” 

Leon seemed to pause beside her. Honestly, she wasn’t quite sure why she brought it up, but her words now hung in the air between them like a wall, pushing him away. She supposed it was stupid and a bit creepy that she kept it. 

“I still have your league card.” His words were almost silent, and she nearly missed them. 

But she didn’t. Her eyes widened as she felt her face heat up. She was never really interested in being a trainer—her interests always lied elsewhere—but Leon almost cried when she told him that she wouldn’t be joining him on his journey that she decided to come along anyway. It was fun, even though she didn’t make it very fair. Despite that, she stood by Leon’s side as he took on foe after foe. 

“I think that’s the only one I ever had made,” she said. 

“I know.” 

Leon had stopped to face her now. They were just a little ways away from the hotel, off to the side of the road where the light was lower and less people would notice the Champion of Galar standing alone with some nobody girl. 

“It’s one of a kind,” he said. He gave her a dazzling smile, his golden eyes closing with the expression. They opened after a second, and when he spoke next, his voice was lower. “Just like you.” 

She blinked, her face erupting in heat. Leon and her had been friends since they were children, and she would be lying if she said she never thought about him as more. He was one of the most important people in her life. But he was someone unattainable. He was one of the most important people in Galar, and she was just a camera girl barely scraping by. 

“Leon…” she murmured. 

He took a step closer, so that he was practically towering over her. Yet she didn’t feel intimidated or scared. She felt a sense of comfort at his closeness. He felt like coming home, just like he always did as they were kids.

He whispered her name as he brushed a piece of her hair behind her ear. “I’ve always tried to get you to see that I like you…” He trailed off before sighing. Once more a smile adorned his face, but one that was so much more earnest—so much softer—than the one he gives the crowd. “And then you moved and I never thought I’d get the chance.”

“The chance…?” she said. She felt as if she was in a trance as she stared up into his golden irises. He words had barely even registered to her as her mind raced, but she had managed to understand that he said he liked her…

“The chance to do this.” 

And then he closed the distance and kissed her beneath the lonely street lamp. 

**Author's Note:**

> This was just something I wanted to write for the hell of it. I'm glad it's fluffy but if people want, I'll be happy to write a second chapter that's a little more risqué lol


End file.
